BONSIGNORE: The Angels' effort is there, but they know time is running out

Head up, determined look and with noticeable swagger in his step, Jered Weaver left the mound after the top of the sixth inning recently at Angels Stadium, the words "one more inning" noticeably prominent to lip readers in the stadium.

They were directed at Angels manager Mike Scioscia specifically, Weaver, not content with the six scoreless innings he just delivered against the division-leading Oakland A's, urging his skipper to let him pitch the seventh inning as well.

In a broader sense, they might as well have been for Weaver's 24 teammates in the dugout.

The All-Star break now firmly behind them and the A's more than 10 games in front of them, the Angels know time is of the essence to make a move. And even with Weaver still finding his way back from a nearly two-month snag he hit after freakishly breaking his left elbow in the second week of the season, it was time to push through all barriers to ignite the run to save their season.

Weaver essentially was telling his teammates the move starts here and he was ready to lead the way.

Knowing the importance of the game, Scioscia wasn't about to stand in Weaver's way.

"I told them I was good to go," Weaver said. "I don't think I had to talk (Scioscia) into it too much."

No, he didn't.

"There's no doubt his stuff was there and he was really maintaining it through a high pitch count," Scioscia said. "He showed some stamina there."

He's going to need it, and so will the Angels as they head into the second half of the season.

For most of the year, they've looked like a high-priced collection of stars heading in opposite directions, rarely showing the type of cohesion, chemistry and consistency typically displayed by championship clubs.

But as the first half bleeds into the second, it is vital they somehow find the structure needed to bridge the gap between pretenders and contenders.

They took a step in the right direction by taking two of three games against the A's, who have defied their modest payroll to leap-frog the Texas Rangers and Angels into first place.

But it's only a step.

If the Angels resort to their floundering ways, they'll be in danger of missing the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.

No one would have envisioned that for a team that added All-Star right fielder Josh Hamilton to a core that included Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, Mark Trumbo, Weaver and C.J. Wilson.

But that is exactly what they are looking at as the Angels trail the A's by 10 games while sitting 8 1/2 games out of a wild-card berth.

"The standings are there, they are what they are," Scioscia said. "We've dug a big hole and we know what we're up against. But we also know it's doable."

Weaver agreed.

"We got all the talent in the world in this clubhouse and we're all aware of that," he said. "Obviously we're not in the position we thought we would be, but we're still going to go out there and battle and try to get us back in this thing."

It helps the Angels play 10 games against the A's and Rangers over the next three weeks, affording them an opportunity to significantly cut into the deficit.

"Anytime we can take some games against teams ahead of us in the standings is a plus," Weaver said. "We have to keep going out there and battling against these guys."

Of course, with opportunity comes responsibility.

If handled correctly, the Angels can jump back into the race. But any sort of misstep could bury them.

"Instead of focusing on who we're playing and where we're playing, it gets back to how we're playing," Scioscia said. "We're going to play good teams all the way out. And tough games and you have to be ready for that. And we need to get our team to gear up for that."

A healthy Weaver will be a huge asset.

As will big second halves from Pujols and Hamilton, both of whom had lackluster beginnings that carried deep into the summer.

The thing about the Angels is, on paper they look like the best team in the American League. But as we've seen the past three years, translating paper to power isn't as easy as it seems.

The Angels' failure to carry individual reputations into team success has cost them postseason bids the past three seasons.

A similar outcome this year likely will result in sweeping changes.

For now, they are focused on what is possible.

'We have a lot of confidence when we get our team going the way we can," Scioscia said. "Our bullpen is coming together much better, and (if) we get some of the big boys comfortable in the batter's box we can get there."

Weaver helped them take a mighty step forward by pushing himself as far as he's gone this year out of the All-Star break. But for momentum to truly build, he needs to keep it up.

He'll need plenty of help from an all-star cast that's under-achieved to this point.

The opportunity awaits them, with so many games approaching against the Rangers and A's.

But it's on them to take advantage.

"Obviously we're going to take it game by game," Weaver said. "We can't look to how many times we face these guys even though we're well aware of it. Just take it one game at a time and make the most of it."